My "Day Jobs"

Okay. This blog, it's a hobby. Which means that, when duty calls, it gets shelved, at least partially. I don't have to like it, but sometimes time is difficult to find to keep this baby as alive and exciting as I'd like.

Agriculture may be a passion, but right now, it's only a part of of my various activities. My summer "day job" is currently working in media and communications. I'm an in-house employee for a an e-commerce department. What that equates to, is that I work hard to generate and edit the text, video, audio, and pictures that convince you to buy a product. I also help keep our current and former customers engaged in our "community." That's technically a full-time job.  (The picture of me is showing me running a camera at one of the big video shoots we've done over my three years here.  I love the shoots, partially because it's a great experience and fun, but also because dress code is more in my realm of comfort.  Hats and t-shirts, yay!)

I'm an intern hero around here. I've been told I'm good for office morale, at times. I'm shameless and goofy, so I'm willing to do what it takes to make this job even more fun than what it already is. I once ate several spoonfuls of loose oat bran powder. (I sneezed oat dust for weeks.) I've overdosed on fiber supplements, partially out of curiosity, partially on a dare, and even a little bit because we were in the mood for testing. I've used exercise bands to shoot stress balls across the hallway at co-workers. (Granted, it was a Friday, it was their last day, and the entire office was in a fairly slap-happy mood.) What it comes down to is that, I make my job as enjoyable as I can. Friday is my last day of the summer, and depending on where the winds take me, I may not be coming back.  There have been a lot of good memories here.  And while I'll miss some of the people, and the amazing mentor I've found here, it's also time to start pursuing my dreams.

So, the title says "dayjobs."  Plural.  I mean, this is my "full-time" job, but it's not the only thing that clogs up my time and puts Midwestern Gold on the back burner.  (It doesn't help that August is the busiest month of the year for me.)

I do social media work on the side.  I'm on staff for a great health and well-being blog, where I fill in the cracks in my schedule with here-and-there Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress work.  I love it, because it goes hand-in-hand with the nutrition and agriculture work I've done in the past.  It's not a big job, but it's fun, and has been a wonderful learning experience.

The last "dayjob" isn't a job at all.  It's preparation for the big AgChat Foundation Conference coming up next week.  There is so much work to do, and I'm not even one of the planning members!  I'm producing a video to be shown at the conference, and even the social planning has become pretty intense.  With all the excitement around, it seems like my schedule is filling up quickly.  One of the things I'm most excited about is my place at the conference as the first ever AgChat Foundation intern!  I'll be working on communications stuff, and will have some overflow after the conference to catch-up and finalize some stuff.

After that, it's back to school, and back to "normal" life.  I'm thrilled to go back, and I never thought my summer vacation would be more stressful and cram-packed that the school year.  I'll have time to blog again.  I'll have a social life once more.  And while I'll miss the country and my home and the open sky and the sunsets, I always have the reassurance that rural Illinois will always be waiting for me, just outside of the Chicago metro.

Hot Dogs & Udders: Our Dairy Dialogue

(Note:  This blog post is, essentially, a conversation between myself and Michele Payn-Knoper of Cause Matters, Corp. who was so kind as to take me to my first ever dairy farm while we worked on the task of video and audio editing.)


Kelly: I did something new yesterday. I went to a dairy farm. Now, for someone who went from beef, to non-farming, to rabbit raising, to 4-Her, to FFA chapter president, to suburbanite, to future farmer's wife, this was a long-awaited and VERY interesting experience. (And in case you were wondering, Farmboy and I are not engaged, I just like to assume things.) Anyways, good ol' Michele Payn-Knoper graciously offered to introduce me to the dairy farm where her cows are milked, as break from our video and audio training yesterday. It was a chance for me to try something new. And she got to do some video work (which she then edited and posted, all by herself!)


It was a blast. Right, Michele?



MPK: Sure thing! I find it really cool how much talent there is in the agvocacy community and was thrilled to find someone who could teach me to quickly master my Mac video programs - it was a bonus to be able to talk cows. And, it was a relief to find you really are who you claim to be, since we've had hundreds of conversations through #AgChat and never met in person. Folks, she really is short. LOL!


Kelly: So, we go to the dairy farm, and we started right off the bat in the parlor. I learned you have to enter quietly, something about the cows sometimes being near the door we walked in. I think? Maybe.



MPK: Umm, well - you don't want your milk splatted on the floor, do you? Seriously, cows like routine, habit and calm behavior from people who "know cows." You enter parlors slowly out of respect for their domain. That's how it's easy to see that cows are well cared for by farmers; they'd be skittish (a bit like horses) if they were not happy. 


Kelly: We chatted with the girl that was milking, and then one of the partners in the farm, Kelly, came and met us. Of course I liked her because of her name! We went out into the waiting area where the cows patiently waited for their turn in the parlor. I got introduced to Panera, Michele’s show cow who just happens to be by the parlor! While Panera waited for her turn to go in, Michele and Kelly taught me about how a cow's dairy character (something about their fat and bones in most people's terms) will change throughout the lactation period. Then we went back into the parlor as the next round of cows, including Panera, lined up for milking.



MPK: Ahem! You forgot to mention that it's Paynacres Perfect Panera, my favorite cow - and that she's quite beautiful (and slightly spoiled). And the dam (that's mother, not a cuss word) of my favorite yearling Paynacres Perfect Pumpkin, who also provides a beautiful view from my office. Did I not explain the lovely openness of rib, her angularity and tremendous style enough? 


Kelly: THEN THEY ASKED ME TO MILK HER. Panera. You know, the pretty working girl-slash-pageant queen. What?! I was handed a paper towel, and was told how to clean off the iodine that was put on the teats shortly before to kill any germs on the outside of the udder. (Did you know, cows have ONE udder, and four teats? Don't call the teats "udders" because you'll get made fun of. And don't compare them to hot dogs. (Apologies to Michele and Panera.) Then, I was walked step-by-step through the process of how to attach the milker thingy to the udder. And when I messed up a little bit, I had some creative language to express my concerns.



MPK: Hmph-my cow most certainly does not have hot dog teats. She has a lovely udder, particularly her fore udder and prominent veination. And didn't you forget the four quarters, median suspensory ligament, etc.? Never mind, I'll be happy if you simply know that cows have different udder quality - and of course, Panera's is delightful. And that there are several steps before and after milking that happens every time to ensure a safe, nutritious product. There's more cleaning that goes on in a milking parlor than about any kitchen I know. 


Kelly: It got sorted out, though, and Panera was back to her usual work schedule. Even briefly touching a part of the equipment that the milk flows through, I realized how warm that milk really is when it comes out!



MPK: Yep, cows are about 101.5 degrees and their milk is even warmer, but plate coolers are an excellent example of food safety (chilling milk to 38 degrees) and environmentalism on a farm; the water is recycled from the plate cooler and given to the cows to drink. By the way, Panera was working in the parlor - the rest of the time she gets to lay around, eat and drink. Lucky girl! While dairy cows do eventually pay the sacrifice of becoming hamburger (and that's just a part of life), they have a great life while they're in a milking herd. 


Kelly: Dairy farmer Kelly then went on to explain the breeding schedule. Their farm schedules calving in the spring and in the fall, so several of their cows have just recently gotten "dried off" to prepare for the birth of their young'uns. Dry cows are just cows who are on vacation for 60-80 days or so.



MPK: Sure wish I could have 60 days vacation to lounge around. On a serious note, some anti-ag groups try to make claims of cows being abused by calving in every year and then having milkers attached to them. Anyone who has ever breastfed should know the relief of being milked on a regular basis. As for claims of abuse - first off, giving milk is what dairy cows are meant for and secondly, show me a miserable cow and I'll show you one who doesn't milk. Kelly, given the work you had to put into milking a single cow and the interaction between farmer and cows, do you buy the whole abuse claim?


Kelly: The cows seemed incredibly happy, and it was neat the way they were so content, just walking right up into the parlor. Kind of made me jealous. I'd love to have a job where I ate, slept, and loafed around all day! "The girls" were obviously very well respected, and I think it's safe to say if you treat them right, they'll treat you right back (by giving a good product)!


Anyways, it was a fantastic experience, and it was really great to get "firsthand" experience with where milk comes from. It was just one example of the millions of unique farms out there. This was a family dairy, consisting of about 120 cows that are grazed rotationally. It really was a great example of a farm doing wonderful things, but this isn't the only system that works. Farming is a hugely diverse industry, and I'm lucky that I could grab a glimpse of a specialized part I wasn't familiar with! Thanks, Michele and Kelly! It sure was a great first time!



MPK: It was fun to share the dairy love. Kelly was happy to show their farm to you - as are most farmers, as long as biosecurity rules are followed and visitors have an open mind. Some studies have shown that 75% of people haven't been on farms in the last five years. That makes me sad - particularly as much as consumers talk about their food source. Kelly, don't you think the modern day practices in food production give you a different perspective? 


Kelly: Definitely! The population is growing so ridiculously quick! Modern practices help us guarantee food for a growing world. Large or small and ranging across several different methods, "conventional" farms (I prefer "progressive") help secure safe, plentiful, and nutritious food for a constantly hungry population. I'm proud to have an inside few of the industry that fills that need.


Here's Michele's video of my first experience milking a cow:

Also check out the video on YouTube here.

What the Tweet is SXSW?

Well, you see...

I may be a farm geek.  But I'm just as much a communications geek.  It wasn't until a year or so ago that I bridged the gap between my roots (ag) and my future (communications).  Since then, I'd say I've gotten pretty involved in the progressive use of Internet communications in the agriculture world.  After all, I run a blog and Twitter account completely devoted to agriculture.  I spend a great deal of time volunteering with the AgChat Foundation.  I'm attending a conference in two weeks to better equip myself for online agvocacy.  I'm digging up internship applications and recommendations to try and break further into the professional world of ag comm.

It's only natural for me to leap at an opportunity to positively represent agriculture.  When I was approached about brainstorming ideas for a major interactive communications conference known as South By Southwest (SXSW), I threw myself into it.

Granted, I was approached by LavaRow founder Nathan T. Wright just a few days before I was leaving for vacation, the same week that proposals were due.  I didn't have a lot of time to do it, and I had no experience to make sure I did it right.  However, I took the chance.  With the guidance of Nathan, Becky McCray, and some of the media-savvy folks at the AgChat Foundation, my proposal got turned in in the nick of time.  And, it was only natural for my proposal to focus on something which I'm passionate about:  the AgChat Foundation.

Well, the proposal, "Agvocacy 2.0:  Adding a Human Voice to the Farm" made it through initial review.  Now, it's in the public voting stage.  Now, ACF needs YOU to help it get to SXSW.  Making it onto the agenda for this conference would be a huge step forward for agriculture, and a major milestone in agvocacy's recognition as a true, valuable cause.

For more information regarding SXSW, how to help, and why this is so important, check out this post on the AgChat Foundation blog.  In a few easy steps, you can play your part in helping the AgChat Foundation work its way towards SXSW!

Keeping Busy, and a History Lesson!

I've been pretty scarce lately, for many reasons.  There's plenty of stress right now, between multiple jobs and my personal life.  However, there's been plenty of good!  I'll have to devote a pretty big chunk of time to catching you guys up once I have some.

Last week was the Kankakee County Fair.  As a former 4-H county officer, the fair was a time I dropped everything to mix work and play.  I used to get no sleep during the fair, and would spend just as much time working hard as I did enjoying myself.  It was usually fun, but this year was different.  Aging out of 4-H meant I got to actually enjoy the fair as most people do.  I came for a few livestock shows, enjoyed some fried food, and watched some of the grandstand attractions.  I DID get to spend a little time enjoying some real-life agvocate efforts, too!

This week is the Gladiolus Festival.  In my hometown of Momence, IL, we have this festival every year during the second weekend in August.  (It's always the week after fair, which means I am one busy girl during August!)  Now, I know it sounds like a festival devoted to a tall, stalk-like flower isn't very agricultural...but, it is!  (As a past Gladiolus Queen runner-up, I had to learn this stuff!)

Northern Illinois used to be a leading grower of Gladiolas.  (Note:  a single flower is a "Gladiolus flower" or a "Gladiola."  In the plural, they are "Gladiolas" or "Gladiolus flowers."  You have a Gladiola, or some Gladiolas.  The flowers, as a group, are known as the "Gladiolus" group.  Isn't the English language fun?!)  Generally, we just refer to them as "glads."  I love glads, they're my favorite flower, for sentimental and aesthetic reasons.

Because of the prominence of glads as a leading local agricultural product, the festival began in 1938.  In 1939, the Glad Fest Association formed to better facilitate planning and organization of the festival.  While land devoted to glad growing did shrink over time, the festival has remained fairly strong.  (One local girl even said, "Glad Fest is better than Christmas!")

Glad Fest is deeply sentimental to my family.  Daddy was the Vice President of the Glad Fest Assocation, and I spent many summers as a kid doing hard physical work to prepare the town for this wonderful event.  Knowing how much work goes into something like this has made it only more special to me.

I mean, I've had a blessed view of the Glad Fest for my entire life.  I have never not been in a Glad Fest parade, since birth.  Last year, I got to be Cinderella on a float entitled "Dreams Come True in Gladland."  Farmboy was even dressed as Prince Charming, pulling the float on his antique tractor.  This year, we're "Boot Scootin' to Gladland," complete with a float decorated like a saloon.  I'm marched with honor guards and marching bands.  I've ridden on floats galore.  I've gotten advance admission to the carnival.  For several years, I got to experience my favorite time of year, as an insider!

Aren't festivals with obscure, long-lost ties to agriculture AWESOME?!

Agvocacy...with a "Bang!"

Creativity is a necessity to getting any message out.  You have to communicate it in a good way.  You have to grab attention, and hang on to it for dear life.  You know you get points for originality.  You get commended for flare.  Well, sometimes you just need something that "pops" to spread your message.  And sometimes, a "pop" isn't enough.  You need a crash.  Or a bang.  Or even fire.

Each year, the Kankakee County Fair holds a school bus figure 8 derby.  Whatever buses are still running at the end of the derby race then completely demo in a classic demolition derby style.  The video below took place after the race.  The blue and gray bus has the words "All Roads Lead to Ag" on it.  The side facing us is painted to look like a city skyline.  On the other side, there's a countryside scene with tractors and cows and even a grain elevator.  The idea is to point out that no matter where you live, urban or rural, ag is part of everyday life, and we'd be lost with out it.

That bus was sponsored and decorated by the River Valley FFA chapter.  You can't see it here, but they had a full-detail hand-painted version of the FFA emblem on the back.  (The painter in me was INCREDIBLY impressed.)  Now, I've said this plenty of times before, but I had the honor of being the President of that FFA chapter during its fledgling year.  First off, the kids grow up too face.  I remember bossing them around at community service events and taking pictures of them shoving their faces in bales of hay at agronomy contest.  Most of all, though, I'm proud of how far the River Valley FFA legacy has come since that first dysfunctional meeting in the fall of 2007.  (By dysfunctional, I REALLY, REALLY mean dysfunctional.  Parli pro didn't exist, we were all either wearing work clothes or sweat pants, there were four seniors and about 20-something freshman...)

Anyways.

This is a great example of agvocacy.  It's the passion and drive of a bunch of upstanding, agriculturally-minded kids, personified in a school bus that gets beaten into a dented up mess.  But, it got a message out.  The announcer even took a few minutes to tell the backstory of the bus and the "All Roads Lead to Ag" message.  However many people were there (I have no clue...) heard first-person about how agriculture influences their everyday life.

Now THAT is agvocacy.

So, I'll stop boring you, and let you get on to watching the buses ram into each other.  (By the way...for the second year in a row, the River Valley FFA bus was the longest standing in the post-race demo derby.  Also, it got second place for its decorations/paint scheme.)

A Rare View

Saturday evening, Farmboy was changing the oil on his truck.  While we waited for that, we decided to grab some footage for a special side-project I'm working on.  This required climbing to the top of one of the grain bins, him going inside, and yelling stuff at me.

It already sounds like a romantic Saturday evening, doesn't it?

Well, there were some special moments.  Like, the moment when you turn around and get to see, really see, the area you live in.  I see corn fields every day when I'm home from school.  I drive past them, I work in them during harvest.  Corn fields are common, yes.  But turning around to see the corn lit up with the last of the sunlight, right before dusk, with a fog rolling in from the west?  It's beautiful.  The video does not do it justice.

My favorite part?  I would have taken it completely for granted.  I had just climbed up to the top of that bin and waited for Farmboy to climb in.  However, he had to go back down and turn on the inside light of the bin, which left me standing up there, and also meant I was standing up there bored and nervous from my occasional fear of heights.

So, thanks, Farmboy, for letting me appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

A #Moo-velous Milestone

A year ago today, something happened that would change the way I viewed the Internet.  I wasn't directly a part of it, but it stirred something up that built momentum into what we now consider the "agvocacy" movement.

One year ago today, Twitter mooed.

And that mooing is what brought me into this whole thing.

You see, I joined Twitter at the recommendation of both my boss and a professor.  I figured I'd get on, follow a few people who had something decent to say, then let my Twitter existence melt back into oblivion when the novelty wore off.

Nope.  I found the farmers.  In specific, I found @FarmerHaley.  Then @RayLinDairy.  I believe I started connecting with them one by one, until I was following @JeffFowle and @agchick and @GilmerDairy and so many others.  I loved what they said, but more than anything, I liked the way I was welcomed in.  Granted, most of the "big names" had a lot fewer followers then, but the fact that they willingly engaged with you when you tried to communicate with them made a huge difference.

I was invited to write a piece for a local Farm Bureau newspaper.  What did I write it on?  "E-griculture."  (At the time, "agvocacy" wasn't quite completely coined, so I went with something a bit cheesier and more obvious.)  I got in contact with Mike (@FarmerHaley) and Ray (@RayLinDairy) via e-mail and met with Tricia (@agchick) in person to talk about the use of Twitter for agricultural advocacy.

As I did interviews and research, the article turned from being just Twitter in general, to being mainly focused on the day Twitter #moo-ed.  This happened before I came around, but as I learned about the epic campaign spearheaded by Ray and Mike, the more I realized how dedicated these folks really were. I mean, two modest farmers decided they wanted to get #moo trending on Twitter to raise awareness of the poor outlook for the dairy industry.

Because Twitter mooed, I got hooked.

So, here I am, blogging, because two guys wanted to make a statement.  They organized their community and got #moo to trend.  When they took another stand, trending #oink to teach people that H1N1 does not mean pork is dangerous, I took part.  In fact, I was out of town with friends and insisted on being at a computer to #oink.

I guess you could say the rest is history.  I got sucked in and haven't found a reason to leave.  In fact, I could go so far as to say this all validated my goals to work in agriculture.  Now that ag is on the Internet, two of my greatest passions have combined!  So, thanks to #moo, you guys are stuck with me.

Want to know one of my favorite things about #moo?  It happened on Mike's 29th birthday.  That's one heck of a birthday party.  If #moo happened exactly one year ago today, that must mean that today is Mike's 30th birthday.  Happy birthday, Mike Haley!  Enjoy your day, and thanks for being one of the founders of online agvocacy as we know it.